I Upgraded to iOS 18, and My iPhone’s Battery Life Took a Serious Hit
Ever since upgrading to iOS 18, my iPhone’s battery life has taken a serious hit. Things only got worse with subsequent releases, and nothing has been improved by the latest 18.3.1 security patch. By lunchtime, my battery is rarely above 40%, and I’ve had to make power banks my new best friends.
I Decided to Investigate
So, a few weeks ago, I began looking into the issue.
The First Step: Battery Screen in Settings
For any battery drain problem, the first place I always look is under the Battery screen in Settings. This section is a treasure trove of information, not only related to the battery but also to the apps that are running and consuming power. Two charts are displayed here: Battery Level, which shows how the charge level changes at 15-minute intervals, and Activity, which uses a bar chart to illustrate which apps have been active and using battery power in hourly intervals. You can tap on the bars for a deeper dive into what’s been happening on your iPhone during that period.
I Found the Culprit
After more investigating, testing, tweaking settings, and a lot of frustration, I found the culprit: Apple Intelligence. With Apple Intelligence enabled (the setting can be found under Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri), I found it impossible to make it through a day without recharging. However, with it disabled, my battery life returned to its former levels, allowing me to leave the power bank at home.
The Kicker
And here’s the kicker: I’m not even using Apple Intelligence. I had enabled it briefly for testing, but I quickly moved on to other things. Honestly, I find it pretty underwhelming, but I didn’t expect it to drain my battery so much — especially when it wasn’t actively being used.
Serious Optimization Issues
The effect is consistent across my devices. On my iPhone, MacBook Pro, and even, to a lesser extent, my iPad, the pattern is the same: turn Apple Intelligence on, and battery life drops like a rock; turn it off, and things go back to normal.
Conclusion
It’s clear that Apple Intelligence has some serious optimization issues. While it might have potential for some users, the battery tradeoff is hard to justify right now. If your iPhone’s battery life has been especially bad since upgrading to iOS 18 and you’ve enabled the Apple Intelligence feature, it might be the culprit. I say “might” because this is one of those “your mileage may vary” situations. That said, if you’re not finding Apple Intelligence all that useful, there’s no harm in turning it off to see if it helps.
FAQs
Q: What is Apple Intelligence?
A: Apple Intelligence is a feature that enables your iPhone to learn and adapt to your habits and preferences, providing personalized recommendations and suggestions.
Q: How do I disable Apple Intelligence?
A: You can disable Apple Intelligence by going to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and toggling off the switch next to “Apple Intelligence”.
Q: Will disabling Apple Intelligence affect my iPhone’s performance?
A: Disabling Apple Intelligence should not affect your iPhone’s performance. However, it’s always a good idea to monitor your device’s performance after making changes to ensure that it’s running smoothly.
Q: Can I re-enable Apple Intelligence later if I need it?
A: Yes, you can re-enable Apple Intelligence at any time by going back to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and toggling on the switch next to “Apple Intelligence”.
